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PITTSBURGH -- Sid the Kid was no match for Martin Gerber last night at The Igloo.

The Senators goaltender, making the start ahead of the injured Ray Emery, slammed the door shut on all-star Sidney Crosby, leading Ottawa to a 4-1 win over the Penguins.

Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley each scored twice. The Senators scored twice on the much-maligned power play to close out their longest road stretch of the season with a fourth straight win and nine of a possible 10 points.

Alfredsson's assist on Spezza's first goal of the game was his 800th career point.

While the players felt Spezza had scored his first career hat trick, the NHL's official scorers didn't agree with the assessment and credited the third goal of the game to Heatley.

"Heatley said he went over top of the puck," said Spezza.

This wasn't the Senators' best effort to close out this five-game road swing, but Gerber showed he's going to give Emery (nursing a sore hip) a run for his money in the continuing battle for the No. 1 goaltending job.

Gerber had his moments:

- Crosby was shaking his head on the bench early in the third period, when he beat defenceman Chris Phillips, skated in alone and was denied trying to beat Gerber on the stick side.

- Crosby slammed his stick against the boards at 8:30 of the second after Gerber closed the five-hole by stacking the pads on a breakaway.

"You just try to be in front of him as much as possible," said Gerber. "He's got such a high skill level."

"I just heard (Crosby) had nine shots. I knew we gave him a lot of chances," said Senators coach John Paddock. "We didn't have our legs in the first period and I don't think we had our brains either."

After Pittsburgh scored a thrilling 6-5 shootout win in a battle between these two teams on Nov. 22, many were expecting more fireworks.

The Senators didn't look good in the first. They had only five shots -- the same number as Crosby.

Senators winger Brian McGrattan left the game after his first shift. He suffered a slightly sprained right shoulder only 2:30 into the first after getting taken down by George Laraque in a short fight.